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J. A. SNELL. BRICK, GUTTING MACHINE.

Patented May 9, 1893. vp i b m: mums PEYERS co. Pnc'rqurnm WASHINGTON.u. c.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. A. SNELL.

BRICK CUTTING MACHINE. No. 496,983.

Patented May 9, 1893.

git C05 04.5) ZZ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB A. SNELL, OF BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND.

BRICK-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,983, dated May 9,1893.

Application filed February 4, 1893- Serial No. 460,996- (No model.)

invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform apart of this specification.

In a pending application for patent, filed by me in the United StatesPatent Office, Serial No. 434,708, I have described and claimed abrick-cutting machine embodying certain novel features; said machinebeing adapted to simultaneously out alength of suitably prepared andmolded clay into a series of brickblanks, as distinguished from machinesarranged to intermittently cut the blanks one by one, or singly.

My present invention also relates to brickcutting machines; it being animprovement on the machine first referred to above, and it consistsessentially in the combination with a stationary bed and averticallymovable guardplate, of an axially movable cutter-carryingframe, a follower mounted in said frame, an expansible table adapted toreceive the blanks through the medium of said follower, and amechanically operating pusher-bar arranged to discharge the blanks fromsaid table onto a removably mounted drying board, all as will behereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, illustrating my invention,Figure 1 is a plan view, some of the parts being omitted and a portionof the bed broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View, taken online 22 of Fig. 1, showing the relation of the cutters, &c., at theinstant of severing the clay into blanks. Fig. 3 is a similar View,showing the blanks in position upon the expansf ble table. Fig. 4. isthe same, showing the cutters, &c., returned to the normal position andthe pusher-bar dropped to engage the blanks. Fig. 5 is a plan view of adevice for oiling the column of clay before the latter passes on to thebed. Fig."6 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a partial transverse sectional view, showing the normal po sition of the pusher,corresponding with Fig. 2. Fig. Sis the same after the pusher has beendropped into position, corresponding to Fig. 4, and Fig. 9 is the same,showing the pusher in its extreme rearward position. In the three lastnamed figures the cutter-carrying frame, 850., are omitted.

The devices forming the invention about to be described reside mainlyinthe mechanisms for cutting the clay into blanks and forcing them fromthe cutting-bed onto a separating table. Said mechanisms comprising aselfrising guard-plate adapted to prevent the blanks from moving whilebeing cut and a movable cutting-frame carrying a follower arranged todischarge the blanks onto the separating table.

In the drawings A indicates the two end frames of the machine, the samebeing secured together by suitable ties, &c., in any well known manner.

I would state that the column of suitably molded and tempered clay isfed to the front side and longitudinally of the machine, say from theright end, onto the stationary bed 00, the latter consisting of a seriesof plates separated from each other to form openings 00 into which thecutting-wires p are adapted to enter, see Figs. 1 and 2. Contiguous tothe rear ends of said plates or bed is mounted a separating table y,consisting of a series of slats united by a lazy-tongs connection 7,adapted to be actuated by a cam-wheel 0 secured to the shaft E,substantially as set forth in my other application, before referred to.To the rear of said table y the frame is arranged to receive a dryingboard 8 onto which the blanks are finally deposited, prior to beingremoved from the machine. The upper faces of the bed, table and board 8lie. in the same plane, being flush with each other.

The frame a, carrying the cutting-Wires p, is secured to a square shaftD journaled below the top of the bed, in the end frames A. Thecutter-frame is partly counter-balanced by weights 61., adapted tomaintain it in the vertical, or normal, position, Fig. 4.. The top orfront side of the frame a consists of a tie uniting the two ends. Inthis tie are mounted clamping screws 19 and take-up or tension screws 19arranged to secure the cutters p in place.- The opposite ends of thecutters are made fast to collars p adjustably secured to the shaft D.Each arm of the cutter-frame is provided with a guide-rod c on which ismounted a sliding-bar (71 carrying the follower f. This bar, &c., isadapted to be held in its normal position by means of swivel catches 0'attached to the ends of the tie-portion of the cutter-frame, as clearlyshown in Figs. 1, 2, &c. Upon releasing the bar d from the catches itmay readily be pushed rearwardly to its limit through the medium ofhandles It; the position then being substantially as indicated in Fig.3.

At the front side and longitudinally of the machine, contiguous to theedge of the bed 00, is mounted a thin guard-plate or fender B, the samebeing secured to vertically guided end rods 9 The lower ends of theserods are as drawn provided each with a stop-pin or guide roll 9 insliding contact with an arm of a counterweighted pivotally mounted leverg; the arrangement being such that the action of the weight serves tokeep the guardplate' iii the elevated or normal position shown in Fig.4.

The operation of forming the blanks is as follows: A length of preparedclay w is first fed or placed upon the bed 00 in any well known mannerand practically in contact with the fender B, as shown in Fig. 4. Now,upon swinging the cutter-frame, &c., in the arrow direction, ordownwardly, the cutters p are forced through the clay and into thespaces :0 of the bed. During the said movement of the frame end lugs aof the latter engage the plate B and force it downwardly below the bedssurface in advance of the cutters, the relation of the parts then beingsubstantially as indicated in Fig. 2. If it were not for the plate B theshearing action of the cutters would operate to distort and displace theclay by forcing it toward the front of the machine. The shearing effectis due to the fact that the cutters are mounted at an angle to the framea, the arrangement being such that the tendency of the cutters todisplace the clay has practically ceased when they approach closely tothe plate B, at which point the moving frame causes the lugs 01. toengage the plate and depress it in advance of the cutters. I would addthat practically the upper or forward portion of the frame a, &c.,overbalances the weights a, plate B and levers g when in the positionshown in Fig. 2, although other means may be employed for the purpose.After the clay 20 has thus been simultaneously divided into a series ofbrick-blanks the operatornext seizes the handles of the follower-frame dand pushes it rearwardly (first detaching it from the catches c) to itslimit, thereby sliding the blanks endwise from the bed onto theseparating table y. Figs. 3 and 7sl1ow the corresponding relation of theparts. The follower is next returned and secured in place and thecutter-frame, 850., elevated to the normal position; the guard-plate Bat the same time automatically rising to its limit through the medium ofthe weighted levers g; Fig. 4 shows said parts in the normal position.

Although I make no specific claim herewith to mechanisms for dischargingthe blanks from the table y, thefollowing isabrief description of thedevice represented and the manner of its operation. fter the blanks havebeen placed upon the table y (as in Fig. 7) the latter is expand edthrough the medium of the cam 0, connection a and lazy-tongs r, by meansof the operating lever G; thereby r0- tating the cam in thearrow-direction to still further separate the blanks. At the same timethe said movement of the lever causes the pusher bar, or secondaryfollower b, to descend from the normal position, shown in Fig. 7, to thebed to engage the blanks, as in Fig. 8. The bar 1) extends lengthwise ofthe machine and is guided at each end by upwardly extending bent arms atsecured to the end frames A. Levers Z fixed to the camshaft and links cconnecting said levers with the bar I) serve to raise and lower thelatter in unison with the movement of the main lever G. The continuedmovement of the shaft E carries the bar b across the table and carryingwith it the series of blanks which are thereby discharged upon theremovable board 3. Fig. 9 shows the corresponding relation of the parts.A reversal of the shafts movement returns the bar, 820., to the normalposition represented in Fig. 7, to again receive and discharge a seriesof blanks after they have been formed through the medium of the cutters,&c., first described.

In handling the molded clay while converting it into blanks it isessential that the surfaces of the bed, 850., be lubricated to preventthe clay from sticking. In order to effect such lubrication I provide anend of the machine (say the right) with an oil-well 11 containing also avertically movable roll 0; the latter being supported in the ends of thecounter-weighted levers o pivoted to the sides of a guide or chute ocommunicating with the machine, see Figs. 5 and 6. The arrangement beingsuch that as the molded length of clay 10 passes onto the bed w thesurface of the roll 0 automatically engages the under side of the clayand lubricates it, the moving clay at the same time causing the roll torevolve. When thus lubricated the clay can be moved about more readilyand with less liability of sticking.

I claim as my inventionnation with the movable cutting frame, of atender or guard-plate arranged to be forced below the bed level by theaction of the cutter-frame.

2. In a brick-cutting machine, the combination with the cutting frame,of a vertically movable fender, as B, arranged to be de= pressed by saidframe while the cutters are IIO -I2 1. In a brick-cutting machine, thecombi- S dividing the clay into brick-blanks, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a brick-cutting machine, an axially movable frame provided with aseries of cutters, as p; a follower, as f, and its holder mounted insaid frame at the rear of the cutters and arranged to be moved to andfro independently of the frames movement, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed and for to the purpose set forth.

4.. In a brick-cutting machine, the combi nation with a stationary bedand an automatically operating guard-plate mounted at the front of thesame, of an axially movable cutter-carrying frame and a guided follower,

as f, mounted in said frame adapted to discharge the brick-blanks fromthe bed while the cutter-frame and guard-plate are in the depressedposition, substantially as described. 5. In a brick-cutting machine, astationary bed provided with recesses adapted to receive the cutters, anaxially movable cutter-carrying frame, a guided follower mounted andadapted to slide to and fro in said frame and means for holding thelength of molded clay in position while being cut into blanks, incombination with a separating table, a pusher-bar or secondary follower,mechanisms for expanding the table and actuating said 0 pusher-bar and aremovable board or carrier adapted to receive the briok-blanks from thetable, substantially as hereinbefore described.

6. In a brick-cutting machine, an axially -movable cutter-carrying framehaving a follower, as f, mounted therein, whereby the brick-blanks maybe forced rearwardly from the bed by the device located in the frameitself, substantially as described.

7. In a brick-cutting machine, the combination with the cutting-frame,of an automatic guard arranged to prevent the blanks from accidentaldisplacement while being cut and adapted to be forced below the bedlevel by the downward movement of the cuttingframe.

8. In a brick-cutting machine, the combination with the bed or framingand a chute or runway leading thereto, of an oil-well located in orcontiguous to said chute and a counter-weighted roll mounted in theoil-well, whereby the act of feeding a length of molded clay to the bed,mwthe chute, causes the roll to automatically lubricate the under sideof the clay, substantially as described.

9. In a brick-cutting machine, the combination with the movablecutter'frame provided with a series of adj ustably mounted cutting-wiresand a guided follower, as f, adapted to slide the blanks rearwardly, ofa separating table arranged to receive said blanks, means for expandingsaid table, a secondary follower adapted to force the blanks from thetable and mechanism for operating the follower, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JACOB A. SNELL.

Witnesses:

GEO. 1-1. REMINGTON, IDA M. WARREN.

